A Selwyn District Council meeting ground to a halt when a public speaker refused to leave the table.
Peter Schnell fronted the council demanding answers over a pit on his Creyke Road property, near Darfield, in what is a longstanding dispute between his family and the council.
At the meeting, Schnell presented in the public forum but refused to leave his seat until he had an answer from the council.
Mayor Sam Broughton was forced to adjourn the meeting “due to the atmosphere in the room”.
Schnell told the meeting there was a legal reserve on his property and claimed someone started an extraction pit in the wrong location 100 years ago.
“I was always promised the titles would be moved,” he said.
Schnell alleged the council has allowed all manner of dumping in the pit over the years, which has left the land unproductive without a $30,000 cleanup.
Schnell said the council had offered him a $13,000 compensation package and to “take responsibility for what’s been dumped in this pit by the council”.
He said he has turned down that offer because he has spent $15,000 on lawyers seeking reparations, and has also sent the council “an account for all the material they have extracted and dumped in there”.
Schnell demanded “a realistic conversation of paying my account”.
“I want answers. After 50 years, we’re starting to get a little frustrated.
“All you can do is offer me an insult and a compensation package.”
He threatened to stop paying his rates until he received a realistic answer or the council took him to court.
“And I would like an answer today, so I’m going to sit here until I get one, or you can have me forcibly removed by the police.”
At that point, Mayor Sam Broughton, who noted that he and chief executive Sharon Mason met with Schnell recently to discuss the matter, said the councillors would not be able to provide that answer at the meeting.
“We are not going to get into a backwards and forwards here.”
Schnell then refused to vacate the chair.
Broughton adjourned the meeting as members of the public gallery began to leave the heated confrontation.
“This is not the way we conduct business in this chamber,” the mayor said.
“We are here to listen to you and we have done that sensibly, and we do not feel that is the right way to go.”
As the councillors, staff, and public cleared the room, Schnell rose from the chair, exclaiming “I think I’ve made my point” as he walked out.
Council chief executive Sharon Mason said the council maintained its position that it has no liability, as gravel extraction was originally undertaken over 70 years ago with the consent of Schnell’s grandfather.
“Council ceased operations prior to 2003, and Schnell has had full control of the site since then.
“Council has offered two resolution options, both including $13,000 compensation for historic use and a five-year discounted licence. One option involves Schnell purchasing the reserve land via the Department of Conservation.”
The offers remain open until September, she said.
“Council remains committed to a fair and lawful resolution,” Mason said.
By Jonathan Leask, local democracy reporter
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ on Air
